Tamil Nadu will on Monday see the start of a new trend — the observance of ‘Idli Day’, as a mark of respect to those millions of people who have made the hot and fluffy steamed rice cakes their daily staple food. Though there will be no grand celebration, Iniyavan (44), an auto-rickshaw driver-turned-idli maker in Chennai — who recently attempted a world record of making 1,300 varieties of the steamed cake — will cook thousands of idlis and distribute them to people in the city to mark Idli Day. The organisers are planning to observe Idli Day in other cities of the State gradually.
“Most people in Tamil Nadu can never think of anything other than idli and sambar for their breakfast. The passion for idli depends on the precision with which you make idli,” Iniyavan, proprietor of Mallippoo Idlis, told The Pioneer. Mallippoo Idli is the ultimate in idli, a recipe developed by Iniyavan over four years of hard labour. “The kind of rice and lentil with which we make the batter and the chemistry behind the mixing of the batter determines the fluffiness of idlis,” said Iniyavan. However, he refused to part with the technique with which he cooks idlis.
Iniyavan’s idlis are an essential ingredient in wedding feasts all over South India. He is often seen boarding the flight from Chennai to various places like Bengaluru, Madurai, Coimbatore and Hyderabad where his idlis are in demand because of their unique shapes, softness and fluffiness. The ‘King of Idlis’ surprised his fans in Chennai early this week by organising an idli exhibition, a first-of-its-kind event. More than 1,300 varieties of idlis, in different sizes, shapes, colours and tastes were on display. “We had ordinary idlis, cashewnut idlis, apple idlis, chocolate idlis, coconut idlis, carrot idlis, to name a few,” said Rajamoney, master caterer, who checked and analysed the idlis threadbare.
“The varieties of idlis will ensure that children do not get bored and fed up with the routine idlis which we cook at home. They are all easy to make. If you add tender coconut water into the batter you have coconut idlis. The taste will be entirely different from ordinary idlis and this will be savoured by all,” said Iniyavan.
Because of Iniyavan’s efforts, the simple breakfast food has come of age. If one decides to taste the idlis prepared out of Iniyavan’ recipes, it may take much time to taste all the varieties one by one. Iniyavan’s creativity is also seen in the jingle he coined for idli: “No oil, only boil”. Whenever you eat idli, remember, you are safe as it is boiled and there is no oil in it, he makes his point.
